DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by
Miller et al. (US PGPub. 2017/0361165). Miller et al. describes the same invention as claimed, including:
Regarding claim 1, An exercise machine, comprising: at least one computer (computer 110); at least one sensor (ABSTRACT: “sensors capable of sensing movement at the joints or the user interface member”); and at least one robotic arm (tubular arm member 18), each of the at least one robotic arm has a connector (turret 14 or any joint in the arm assembly) through which the robotic arm exerts force and torque on a user (Figs. 11A, 11B); wherein: each of the at least one robotic arm moves along a reference trajectory (desired trajectory 603); the at least one computer controls the at least one robotic arm according to the corresponding reference trajectory (paras. 102, 103: “[0102] As described above, the application of a force field can result in an awkward, sticky feeling for the user when deviating from an assigned trajectory. An example of a force field 600 surrounding a desired trajectory 603 is shown in FIG. 11A. Typically, the force field 600 is established with corrective forces applied in a direction perpendicular to the trajectory 603, as shown, for example, with corrective force vectors 605a, 605b. If a user deviates at point 607 on the trajectory 603, the user experiences a sticky resistance from force vector 605a, which interrupts the user's motion.
[0103] Rather than apply resistive forces in a direction perpendicular to the desired trajectory, an exercise device can be programmed to provide invisible hand assistance by applying a corrective force located further along the trajectory and angled towards the force field. For example, a force field 600′ over a desired trajectory 603′ is shown in FIG. 11B. If a user deviates from the trajectory 603′ at point 609, a corrective force can be applied as illustrated by corrective force vector 611. In particular, invisible hand assistance attempts to repoint the user's velocity vector such that the user returns to the desired trajectory 603′. The corrective force vector 611 is not pointing directly towards the trajectory 603′, but rather at a point further along the trajectory and at an angle dependent upon the user's velocity, the user's position in relation to the desired trajectory, and, optionally, any other relevant metrics, such as power. Invisible hand assistance provides a corrective force that is subtler and more considerate of the user's movement, such that movement is influenced and not disrupted.”); and the at least one sensor comprises: at least one force-torque sensor configured to measure the force and torque exerted on the user (para. 150: “Power expenditure on the part of the user can be calculated as force multiplied by velocity. With regard to an exercise device, such as device 10, the rotational analog for power expenditure can be expressed as torque multiplied by angular velocity, where torque is the resistance provided by the device's brakes and angular velocity is calculated at the brake shaft, as described above. As a user progresses through a repetition, velocity is determined and tracked by the system, and brake commands are provided to maintain a constant power output over the desired trajectory.”); and at least one vision sensor configured to measure the user’s body posture (para. 65: “Alternatively, or in addition, a motion capture system consisting of a series of cameras and computer vision software can calculate the position, velocity, and acceleration of the user interface member.”).
Regarding claim 2, wherein each of the at least one robotic arm comprises at least five joints (wrist joint 7 with up to 3 degrees of freedom, each degree of freedom comprising its own “joint” when giving that term its broadest reasonable interpretation), linear sliding joint 44, rotary shoulder joint 46, and rotary waist joint 48).
Regarding claim 3, wherein the reference trajectory specifies positions and orientations of the corresponding connector (For example, Fig. 3, para. 73: “An example of a reference trajectory 300 for a bicep curl is shown in FIG. 3. Based on signals received from sensors within the exercise apparatus, a processor can calculate positional coordinates of the user interface member. In particular, a start point 302 and an end point 304 are recorded for the initial movement. An end space 306 for the exercise can be established based, at least in part, by the end point 304.”).
Regarding claim 4, wherein the reference trajectory has a top point and a bottom point (Figs. 11A, B), wherein: the bottom point is above a safety zone; the top point is below a terminal zone; the safety zone is above a bottom-free zone; the terminal zone is below a top-free zone; the top-free zone is below a top-exclusion zone; and the bottom-free zone is above a bottom-exclusion zone (para. 122: “By accounting for the differing gear ratios, resistance variations that would otherwise be experienced by the user as a result of over- or under-leverage during a movement can be overcome. Additionally, a system can provide for safety limitations as a result of over- or under-leverage, depending on a user's starting position or a depth of trajectory of a movement. For example, it may be known that 18-24 inches of linear travel is required for a bicep curl. The system may be programmed to permit the user to perform a bicep curl at up to three feet away from the base of the device with up to 75 lbs of resistance, but may prohibit a user from performing a bicep curl farther than 3 feet away at the same resistance if the leverage obtained at that distance would be more than the system could safely withstand. Varying resistances can be provided depending upon distances at which an exercise is performed. For example, the device can provide resistances greater than 75 lbs with modifications to gear ratios. The system can also be programmed to provide prompts or force fields to orient a user in a particular direction with respect to the device. For example, a right-handed thrower can be instructed to face a direction perpendicular to the device with the device to their right. As the throwing motion requires mostly forward-backward movement, the user can make maximum use of the base stage of the device without overleveraging the arm.”).
Regarding claim 5, wherein: the reference trajectory locates within a radial-free zone; a radial zone is radially beyond the radial-free zone; and when the corresponding connector is located in the radial zone, the corresponding connector exerts a radial force on the user to revert the corresponding connector back toward the radial-free zone (Figs. 11A, 11B).
Regarding claim 6, wherein: a max-radial zone is radially beyond the radial zone on the outside of the radial zone; and when the corresponding connector is located in the max-radial zone, the corresponding connector exerts a constant radial force on the user to revert the corresponding connector toward the reference trajectory (Figs. 11A, 11B).
Regarding claim 7, wherein the at least one sensor comprises three vision sensors to monitor a pose of the user (para. 65: “The sensors S1, S2, S3, and S4 can be optical encoders, but, alternatively, can be other types of sensors, such as potentiometers, resolvers, accelerometers, gyroscopes, inertial measurement units (IMUs), motion capture or computer vision systems, or a combination thereof.”).
Regarding claim 8, wherein the pose of the user comprises body positions and joint angles of the user (Figs. 11A, B).
Regarding claim 9, further comprising at least one display and a graphical user interface (GUI) presented on at least one of the at least one display (Figs. 8-9).
Regarding claim 10, wherein the at least one display moves along with the user’s body movement (Fig. 8, “position in space”).
Claim(s) 11-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by
Miller et al. (US PGPub. 2017/0361165). Miller et al. describes the same invention as claimed, including:
Regarding claim 11, A method for controlling an exercise machine, the exercise machine comprises: at least one computer (computer 110); at least one sensor (ABSTRACT: “sensors capable of sensing movement at the joints or the user interface member”); and at least one robotic arm (tubular arm member 18), each of the at least one robotic arm has a connector (turret 14 or any joint in the arm assembly) through which the robotic arm exerts force and torque on a user (Figs. 11A, 11B); wherein: each of the at least one robotic arm moves along a reference trajectory(desired trajectory 603); the at least one computer controls the at least one robotic arm according to the corresponding reference trajectory (paras. 102, 103: “[0102] As described above, the application of a force field can result in an awkward, sticky feeling for the user when deviating from an assigned trajectory. An example of a force field 600 surrounding a desired trajectory 603 is shown in FIG. 11A. Typically, the force field 600 is established with corrective forces applied in a direction perpendicular to the trajectory 603, as shown, for example, with corrective force vectors 605a, 605b. If a user deviates at point 607 on the trajectory 603, the user experiences a sticky resistance from force vector 605a, which interrupts the user's motion.
[0103] Rather than apply resistive forces in a direction perpendicular to the desired trajectory, an exercise device can be programmed to provide invisible hand assistance by applying a corrective force located further along the trajectory and angled towards the force field. For example, a force field 600′ over a desired trajectory 603′ is shown in FIG. 11B. If a user deviates from the trajectory 603′ at point 609, a corrective force can be applied as illustrated by corrective force vector 611. In particular, invisible hand assistance attempts to repoint the user's velocity vector such that the user returns to the desired trajectory 603′. The corrective force vector 611 is not pointing directly towards the trajectory 603′, but rather at a point further along the trajectory and at an angle dependent upon the user's velocity, the user's position in relation to the desired trajectory, and, optionally, any other relevant metrics, such as power. Invisible hand assistance provides a corrective force that is subtler and more considerate of the user's movement, such that movement is influenced and not disrupted.”); and the at least one sensor comprises: at least one force-torque sensor configured to measure the force and torque exerted on the user (para. 150: “Power expenditure on the part of the user can be calculated as force multiplied by velocity. With regard to an exercise device, such as device 10, the rotational analog for power expenditure can be expressed as torque multiplied by angular velocity, where torque is the resistance provided by the device's brakes and angular velocity is calculated at the brake shaft, as described above. As a user progresses through a repetition, velocity is determined and tracked by the system, and brake commands are provided to maintain a constant power output over the desired trajectory.”); and at least one vision sensor configured to measure the user’s body posture (para. 65: “Alternatively, or in addition, a motion capture system consisting of a series of cameras and computer vision software can calculate the position, velocity, and acceleration of the user interface member.”); the method comprising: selecting an exercise motion; setting initial values for resistance force magnitude parameters and state variables; determining the user is ready to start exercising; obtaining measurements from the at least one sensors; based on the obtained measurements, updating the resistance force magnitude parameters and the state variables (Figs. 11A, B, paras. 102, 103).
Regarding claim 12, wherein each of the at least one robotic arm comprises at least five joints (wrist joint 7 with up to 3 degrees of freedom, each degree of freedom comprising its own “joint” when giving that term its broadest reasonable interpretation), linear sliding joint 44, rotary shoulder joint 46, and rotary waist joint 48).
Regarding claim 13, wherein the reference trajectory specifies positions and orientations of the corresponding connector (For example, Fig. 3, para. 73: “An example of a reference trajectory 300 for a bicep curl is shown in FIG. 3. Based on signals received from sensors within the exercise apparatus, a processor can calculate positional coordinates of the user interface member. In particular, a start point 302 and an end point 304 are recorded for the initial movement. An end space 306 for the exercise can be established based, at least in part, by the end point 304.”).
Regarding claim 14, wherein the reference trajectory locates within a radial-free zone, and a radial zone is radially beyond the radial-free zone, the method further comprising: when the corresponding connector is within the radial zone, exerting a radial force on the user through the corresponding connector to revert the corresponding connector back toward the radial-free zone (Figs. 11A, 11B).
Regarding claim 15, wherein a max-radial zone is radially beyond the radial zone on the outside of the radial zone, the method further comprising: when the corresponding connector is within the max-radial zone, exerting a constant radial force on the user through the corresponding connector to revert the corresponding connector toward the reference trajectory (Figs. 11A, 11B).
Regarding claim 16, wherein the at least one sensor comprises three vision sensors to monitor a pose of the user (para. 65: “The sensors S1, S2, S3, and S4 can be optical encoders, but, alternatively, can be other types of sensors, such as potentiometers, resolvers, accelerometers, gyroscopes, inertial measurement units (IMUs), motion capture or computer vision systems, or a combination thereof.”).
Regarding claim 17, wherein the pose of the user comprises body positions and joint angles of the user (Figs. 11A, B).
Regarding claim 18, the exercise machine further comprising at least one display and a graphical user interface (GUI) presented on at least one of the at least one display (Figs. 8-9).
Regarding claim 19, further comprising: displaying, on the at least one display, a time series of proper joint angles; and based on the measurement from the at least one visual sensors, overlaying a user’s body positions and joint angles to the time series of proper joint angles in real-time (Fig. 8, “Position in space”).
Regarding claim 20, further comprising moving the at least one display along with the user’s body movement (Fig. 8, “Position in space”).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See form PTO-892 for cited art of interest.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SUNDHARA M GANESAN whose telephone number is (571)272-3340. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30AM-5:30PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, LoAn Jimenez can be reached at (571)272-4966. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SUNDHARA M GANESAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3784